Over the past year, we have worked hand-in-hand with our ecosystem to deliver outstanding results, including sector-leading project certifications. These include 43 Green Star Certifications comprising 13 New Build, 13 Net Zero, 8 Existing Building Performance (EBP), 6 Interiors and 3 WELL certifications, together with 11 EDGE Prelim Certifications and 15 EDGE Post Construction certifications. Below are just a few examples from this 2024 portfolio:

• Liberty Two Degrees (L2D) became the first property group in South Africa to receive the Net Zero Waste Level 2 certification from the GBCSA for five of its malls in Johannesburg, Pietermaritzburg, Bloemfontein, and Cape Town.
• Nedbank branches at Alex Mall and Fox Street, Johannesburg, proudly received their Green Star Interiors ratings, underlining their commitment to creating healthy and comfortable indoor environments for both employees and clients.
• Plumblink Head Office and Distribution Centre in Gauteng received a 4-Star Green Star PEB Custom Industrial Certification, proving that it’s possible to design industrial spaces that are mindful of their environmental impact.
  
• Menlyn Maine Residences’ was awarded a 4-Star Green Star Multi Unit Residential Design V1 rating.
  
• Balwin’s Headquarters on Corlett Drive, Johannesburg, was awarded a Net Zero Waste Level 1 certification in addition to its 6-star Green Star Office v1.1. As Built rating – the first commercial-level Net Zero Waste Level 1 (construction waste) certification in South Africa.
• The iKusasa building, situated in Johannesburg’s Oxford Parks Precinct, was the first in developer Intaprop’s portfolio to achieve both a 6-Star Green Star As Built rating and a Net Zero Carbon Level 1 certification.
• We supported two major residential property clients in obtaining EDGE certifications. Leogem Property Developments secured EDGE certifications for two developments in Johannesburg, The Lincoln Carlswald and The Mallard. And Balwin Properties secured two EDGE certifications for large residential developments – one in Kwa-Zulu Natal and one in Gauteng – Izinga and Mooikloof Eco Estates.
  

Our memorable moments

At the heart of our success are our relationships – with clients, colleagues, suppliers, and our team. These connections form the foundation of our business. So it came as a huge shock when, in February, we were informed of the tragic loss of a highly regarded member of the Solid Green family, Mthokozisi ‘Giant’ Nxumalo, a man like no other. Giant’s passing has left a deep sadness for those of us who knew him, and it is taking time to adjust to the loss of one of our own.

In recent months, our workload has meant expanding our team, and we have welcomed the following new talent:

• Amy Symington, Junior Green Building Consultant (January 2024)
• Thobeka Zuma, EDGE Project Manager (April 2024)
• Melissa Laubscher, Accountant (March 2024)
• Janki Malefane, Modelling Technician (May 2024)

Two of our team members directed the development of categories under the Green Star New Build V2 rating tool. Piloted at the end of 2023, the tool expands the minimum requirements that need to be met by project teams seeking this certification. Annelidé Sherratt, Head of Solid Green’s Green Building Certifications department, directed the Healthy category while Adrie Fourie, Head of Solid Green’s Sustainable Cities & Research department, directed the Places category.

During this year, we continued to transform our office in Parkhurst, a journey that has allowed us to explore our commitment to sustainability and the built environment. We also commissioned a stunning new mural on the street-facing side of our building, which serves as a bold statement of who we are and what we stand for.

Celebrating Industry Recognition

We are extremely proud of our team who, once again, excelled in delivering exceptional quality Green Star submissions. These were recognised when our projects were recognised in the SAPOA Awards 2024:

At the 2024 GBCSA Leadership Awards, we were delighted that Annelide Sherratt was acknowledged as runner-up for the Established Green Star. Several of our projects also received prestigious awards:

• In the Transforming Tomorrow category, various projects were featured including two projects certified this past year: 7 Parks Boulevard (As Built) and 5 Parks Boulevard (Design), developed by Intaprop with Solid Green as AP on the certifications.
• The Net Zero Submission award went to Liberty Two Degrees Net Zero Waste Retail Portfolio.
• In the Highest Rated Building category, the runner-up was Anglo-American by Intaprop for its Interiors v1 certification.
• In the Best Quality Submission category, the runners-up included Anglo-American for its Interiors v1 certification.

Strengthening Our Shared Commitment

We are profoundly grateful for the commitment that we share with our clients and colleagues to creating a regenerative future for both people and the planet. As we continue to innovate and collaborate, we look forward to building on this momentum in the year ahead. We look forward to working with you in 2025 and wish you and your loved ones a restful and enjoyable holiday season!

The post Our Journey in 2024 appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Vleihuis Development in Linden

“Net Zero represents the beginning of the first true response to climate change from the building industry,” Chilufya Lombe, Sustainability Consultant and Director at Solid Green observes.

While it is evident that we cannot stop the development of new buildings as cities grow, it is possible to ensure that impact on the environment as a result of development is negated. A Triple Net Zero certification represents the pinnacle in environmental design with a structure that has zero impact on resources.

We are delighted to report that our footprint is growing into countries like Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Botswana, Mauritius and Namibia. This includes our collaboration with Enerxis Solutions on Mauritius’ first Green Star certificated project, the Mon Trésor Business Gateway.

Mon Trésor Business Gateway 2

We are particularly proud of our people, who have excelled this year in proactively contributing towards transformation in the property sector. Annelide Sherratt and Jesse Hamman were acknowledged for their dedication at the 2018 Green Building Council Leadership Awards when they were awarded Runner Up: Established Green Star and Winner: Rising Green Star respectively.

And, on 23 October 2018, at the national 4th South African Women in Property Awards (SAWIPA), Marloes Reinink was named Business Woman of the Year: Entrepreneur! The SAWIPA Awards recognise women who continue to influence and change the landscape of the property industry – which Marloes has achieved as founder of the largest dedicated green building consulting firm in South Africa, the only ambassador in the country for the Living Building Challenge, and tireless advocate for all things that contribute towards a healthier and more regenerative world.

4th SAWIPA National Awards: Marloes Reinink named Business Woman of the Year: Entrepreneur.

“It is crucial that cities grow in a sustainable manner,” Reinink says.

Cities today are nodes of opportunity to move green design beyond the building scale into the public realm. It is a great privilege to be acknowledged as SAWIPA’s Business Woman of the Year: Entrepreneur amongst such high-calibre professionals. Particularly because the SAWIPA Awards offers a platform for celebrating not only gender equity in our property industry, but also the important advances that the sector is taking to align itself with best practice worldwide.

At Solid Green, we believe in walking the talk and have committed to providing a healthy work environment for our team, together with lifestyle guidance and ongoing mentorship. Our office, which was awarded a prestigious LEED Platinum certification for Commercial Interiors and the first 6-Star Green Star SA Interiors v1 certification in 2016, was the first project in Africa to be featured on the Biophilic Map earlier this year.

Biophilic map.

A number of our staff members are activists for the circular economy, and challenge themselves daily to lead lives that are more in sync with available natural resources and cycles. We advocate for waste reduction, and Gavin Westbrook went so far as to set himself a plastic-free month challenge, with interesting results! We also educate our network around dietary choices and put programmes in place to enable our staff members to transition towards sustainable modes of transportation.

From its inception, Solid Green has taken the practice of mentoring young people very seriously; and we are constantly rewarded by their personal and professional growth and enthusiasm. Nomamfengu Mbele and Mapula Matlakala took time out to share their experiences of working with our team. Our mentoring work this year also included Chilufya Lombe’s work with start-up organisation, Khora Group – headed up by Katlego Mothapo – which was accepted into the Innovation Hub’s Climate and Innovation Centre (CIC).

Annelide Sherratt, Nomamfengu Mbele, Mapula Matlakala , Marloes Reinink at the 2018 GBCSA Convention Gala Dinner

All our achievements are only possible thanks to the loyal support of our clients, staff, colleagues, supporters and suppliers. We are encouraged on a daily basis by your commitment to furthering a fully sustainable built environment for current and future generations. We look forward to sharing the next stage of our journey with you, and wish you and your families a very blessed and enjoyable holiday season as we head towards 2019!

The Solid Green team.

The post Your Support in 2018 appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.

Our project highlights in 2017 include the National English Literary Museum, the first Public & Education (PEB) building in South Africa to achieve a 5-Star Green Star SA Design rating, and an impressive 5-Star Green Star SA PEB v1 As-Built certification earlier this year.

Another first was the certification of ten Standard Bank branches countryside, which all achieved 4-Star Green Star SA Interiors v1 certifications in May. These projects demonstrate a strong commitment by Standard Bank to providing healthy and comfortable interior environments for both staff and clients.

The new Green Star Sustainable Precincts tool has recently been launched, with Solid Green consulting on four of the first thirteen projects that will be piloting the tool, including Sandton Gate. With a shared vision of demonstrating sector leadership in sustainability, developers Abland and Tiber are targeting a Green Star certification for the whole precinct under the Sustainable Precincts tool, and each commercial building in the precinct will be required to attain a minimum 4-Star Green Star rating for the building itself.

And, in a very BIG first, 78 Corlett Drive received a Net Zero Carbon Pilot Rating from the GBCSA at the end of November, with Solid Green handling the certification process!

Our involvement in policy development throughout Africa is incredibly important to us, and on 29 August 2017, Nigeria’s first Building Energy Efficiency Code (BEEC) was officially launched in Abuja by the Federal Minister for Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN). Solid Green was commissioned as technical consultant on the project, and Director, Chilufya Lombe, spoke at the launch event.

We have continued our commitment to education in the green building sector through our involvement with Streetlight Schools – Jeppe Park Primary, the first school in South Africa to achieve a 4-Star Green Star Interiors v1 As Built Rating, demonstrating ‘Best Practice’. The school has developed a Sustainable Education Awareness Program – which has been developed with a specific focus on young learners’ wellbeing – to teach learners new behaviours in using resources optimally from an early age; as well as a Wellness Education Policy that specifically focuses on young learners’ wellbeing and health.

And, in our quest to change mindsets and stay at the forefront of thought leadership around green buildings and sustainable city development, Solid Green is proud to be a partner in the newly-launched GreenED, an online resource offering best-in-class online and contextual learning on sustainable design in the built environment and green rating certifications.

We have also spent time learning from the best and contributing to the global conversation around green and sustainability. In April, USAID Low-Emissions Development (USAID-LED) co-sponsored three South African project teams to attend the 2017 EcoDistricts Incubator in Portland, USA; in November, we participated in the Hack4Climate hackathon in Bonn, Germany, hosted by Cleantech21; and also in November, we attended GreenBuild 2017, the world’s largest conference and expo dedicated to green building.

We would like to thank our clients and colleagues for the privilege of working with you, and look forward to another exciting year in 2018!

The post Solid Highlights for 2017! appeared first on Solid Green Consulting.